Fresno Unified doubles down amid strike talk, raises substitute pay

Substitutes stand to earn $500 a day as Fresno Unified School District prepares to recruit replacements in the face of a possible teachers strike.

Superintendent Bob Nelson said 800 to 1,000 substitutes could be needed, and the higher pay rate would help attract fill-ins from throughout the central San Joaquin Valley. The regular substitute rate is $120 to $140 day.

Negotiations between the district and the Fresno Teachers Association have been underway for more than a year. On Tuesday, FTA members are scheduled to take a vote whether to authorize a strike.